What to do with excess new battery materials

How can we improve the battery recycling industry?

All current battery recycling methods have pitfalls. There are three areas of improvement that are foremost to consider as efforts progress to improve the battery recycling industry: recycling capacity, cost, and environmental impact. Recycling capacity impacts the recycling industry as a whole.

Should lithium-ion batteries be recycled?

The global lithium-ion battery recycling capacity needs to increase by a factor of 50 in the next decade to meet the projected adoption of electric vehicles. During this expansion of recycling capacity, it is unclear which technologies are most appropriate to reduce costs and environmental impacts.

Can batteries be repurposed?

In many cases, batteries—especially in vehicles—are retired from their first use but can be repurposed for a secondary use, such as stationary storage. Batteries can also be recycled, but some recycling processes require energy-intensive or environmentally damaging inputs.

How can battery recycling cost be reduced?

Battery recycling cost is decreased through electrochemical methods primarily through the removal of costly leachants and redox agents and/or by replacing expensive separation or cathode production steps.

What are the challenges of recycling batteries in the UK?

Many recycling companies take in a range of inputs (e.g. washing machines) at the same time as batteries. Recycling companies also have to manage variable feedstocks. Some countries shred and burn the whole battery, leaving remnants of plastic in the black mass. This is a challenge for refining and upcycling if and when material comes to UK. 3.

Can EV batteries be recycled?

For example, LFP, a battery chemistry growing in popularity for EVs, is economically a challenge for battery recycling as it does not contain high-value metals like nickel or cobalt. This makes recycling this battery chemistry unprofitable through conventional recycling methods.